


A poppy in the field

by willowmellontree



Category: Torchwood
Genre: M/M, Remembrance Day, Swearing, Time Travel, Very Welsh, World War I
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-11-08
Updated: 2020-12-19
Packaged: 2021-03-08 20:28:14
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 6
Words: 5,858
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27452737
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/willowmellontree/pseuds/willowmellontree
Summary: Ianto teaches Owen a lesson which involves time travel, conflict and hope.
Relationships: Jack Harkness/Ianto Jones
Comments: 3
Kudos: 34





	1. prologue

"Owen, don't be such an insensitive pratt!" Ianto yelled through the hub. He was currently holding Jacks coat which at the moment, was stained with blood. Jack and Ianto had just come back from a mission and Jack had died. Multiple times. Owen was in a mood and was insulting Jacks immortality and how it didn't matter if he died because he's just spring back up again. The young doctor had then made a crude comment about Jack fighting in the war and that was the last straw for Ianto. "Jack fought in both wars but he didn't have to. He knew how it would end and no one made him do anything because he was working for Torchwood."

Owen huffed and went down into his med bay. "Is that supposed to change my mind Tea boy?" He shouted up. "Jack can't die so he wasn't exactly risking anything was he."

Ianto carefully put the coat over one of the chairs and stormed down to Owens level. "He still watched people die. Those boys out there were as young as fourteen years old and couldn't do anything about it."

"He was a Captain." Owen retorted. "He could've sent them home."

The Welshman rolled his eyes. "He was a captain in WW2 because he worked his way up the ranks." He put his hand on his hips. "In the first one, he was in the same place as everyone else. Start acting your age, Owen Harper. Jack is a war hero."

Owen realised he lost that fight. "I don't care. It happened years ago so it doesn't concern me." He turned his back on the other man and pretended to inspect some of his tools.

Feeling a bit angry, Ianto strode up to Jack office.

Jack was currently hanging his head over some paper while his hand was holding on loosely to a pen. He looked up when Ianto came in and smiled, but the smile turned into a look of concern when he saw his lovers face. "Is everything alright?" He asked the younger man.

Ianto didn't answer the question. Instead, he got straight to the point. "Could I borrow your vortex manipulator?"

Jack raised his eyebrow but didn't question it. "Yeah, here you go." He took his wrist strap off and gave it to him. Jack trusted Ianto with anything.

"And do you have any currency from 1916?" Ianto asked.

The immortal nodded. "In the gold tin under the bed." He paused. "Ianto, listen. Going to 1916 might not be a good idea."

Ianto shrugged. "I'll be careful Jack. I always am but I need to give Owen a history lesson."

Jack stood up and walked up closer to Ianto so he could wrap his arms around him. "Please look after yourself." He whispered into his ear. "I don't know what I'd do if you got hurt."

"I'll be fine," Ianto reassured him. He kissed the other man softly and went to get some important things he'd need to take before he went back into the main hub. "Hey, Owen!" Ianto called. "We're going on a trip. Get your coat."

Owen came up from his hole. "What the hell Ianto!"

Ianto put Jacks Vortex Manipulator on his wrist. "We're taking a trip. Are you ready?"

Owen didn't know what to say. "Um, yeah. Where are we going exactly?"

Ianto grabbed onto the other man's arm before he pressed the button on the wrist strap. One minute they in the hub 2007, and the next minute, they were in 1916. Well, Ianto assumed it was 1916. Jack had taken him on a few trips in time before today and he's even taught him how to use the Vortex Manipulator, but sometimes, it never took you where you wanted to go. "

"Where the hell are we?!" Owen demanded.

Ianto looked around the place. It looked like Wales and it smelt like Wales and if you squinted, you could see a village in the distance. "Exactly where we needed to be." Was his answer before he started to walk towards the houses.

Owen, however, didn't like that answer but he had no choice now but to follow him.


	2. A pub in Wales

The sun was starting to slowly sink behind the valleys by the time Ianto and Owen reached the village. The village was a decent size with a medieval church over at one side of the place. Next to the church was a small local primary school with its own bell tower and behind that were fields full of crops ready to be harvested. There were multiple farmhouses and little thatched-roof cottages which came along with their own little gardens. Bigger houses lined the outskirts of the village and right in the centre was the village hall, which was surrounded by shops...and a pub. Brilliant. 

"Honestly Jones, what are were doing here?" Owen complained. "Where even is here?"

Ianto turned to his colleague and gave him a look. "I'm teaching you a lesson."

Owen stopped walking. "Take us back!"

The younger man turned around and trapped Owen by his shirt. "I'm going to make this very clear. We're not leaving until you understand what it's like..."

"You sound like you've been in this situation before." Owen pressed.

Ianto paused for a moment a let Owen go. "Let's just say I'm not exactly from 2007."

Owen stepped back. "You're from another time then?"

Ianto shrugged and continued to walk towards the pub. "Something like that."

Owen silently growled in annoyance before he followed Ianto into the pub. It was small and crowded but it had a pleasant atmosphere. Almost every table was filled with laughing people drinking alcohol, playing cards and smoking. The young doctor shook his head in amazement at that. Didn't they realise this room was sort of like a death trap? He looked over towards Ianto who was at the bar ordering drinks. He fit in too well with this time it was odd. If only he could find out something more about him. Owen went up to the bar and sat next to the Welshman, who was currently speaking to the bartender in what seemed in fluent Welsh.

Ianto turned and looked at Owen's face before he grinned. “Oh don’t look so grumpy Owen. I thought you liked the adventure.”

“Not when I’m forced into it,” Owen grumbled. The barman handed him a drink and spoke to him in Welsh but left when he realised Owen couldn’t speak it. “Don’t they speak English?”

Ianto rolled his eyes. “Of course they speak English.” He took a sip of his drink. “Do you speak Welsh?”

Owen shook his head.

“Didn’t think so.” The Welshman muttered. “You live in Wales and learning to speak the language didn’t cross your mind did it.”

Owen didn’t say anything. He just looked at his drink and thought about what a terrible life he was having at the moment. Part of him forgot that he wasn’t in Cardiff. The Doctor scanned the room for any information to where he was. He saw a calendar handing above the bar but not the kind you get in 2007. Maybe the right question should be, when is he? “Ianto, what’s the plan?”

Ianto grinned, knowing that Owen had finally given in a little. “Well, first we book into a room for the night and get some sleep. Then we’re going to head to the enlisting station first thing in the morning…” He got interrupted by Owen.

“I didn’t know they still did the enlisting thing in 1916.” He grumbled.

Once again, Ianto rolled his eyes. “Of course they did. Boys who were sixteen two years ago would now be eighteen and old enough to fight.”

Owen sipped at his drink. “And what will we be doing there then?”

“Sighing up,” Ianto answered. He saw the look on Owen's face and laughed slightly. “Don’t worry. I took Jack psychic paper. You’ll be the leader of a team working behind the front line. I’ll be a captain working in the same area.”

Owen but his drink down on the bar. “But we’ll be interfering with the course of history!” He exclaimed.

Ianto shrugged. “It’s not like you care Owen. All you need to do is not mention penicillin and there’ll be no paradoxes.” He then turned away from the Doctor and paid the barman before requesting a room. Once Owen had finished his drink, Ianto led them up to the room. There was a mattress on the floor and a bed inside, which Owen immediately flung himself on. “I’m hoping we’ll be in the same place as Jack,” Ianto said out loud as he made himself comfortable on the floor.

The other man lay on his side, facing towards the window. “Why?”

“He told me once that this time was hard. Harder than the next war” Ianto continued.

There was a minute before Owen replied. “You’ve travelled in time before.” He stated. “I’m guessing there’s going to be rules.”

Ianto grinned into the dark. “Yes, there are three important ones. The first thing is that you can’t mention anything about the future. Especially about world war two. All these people have is the hope that this war will be the end of all wars. Second rule. Somethings are a fixed point of time like the battle of the Somme. It has to happen but I think it’s already happened so we’re alright there. Rule three. Blend in as much as you can and don’t get yourself killed. The last thing we need to happen is to have your Gravestone say ‘OWEN HARPER. 1980-1916.’”

“If anything happens Teaboy, I’m blaming you. You brought us here and anything that happens is on you.” Owen warned even though Ianto already knew that. “Now shut up and sleep.”

For the third time that night, Ianto rolled his eyes and turned over so he could some sleep.


	3. Enlisting

In the morning, Ianto was the first to wake up. He could tell the Sun had only just risen and Owen would hate him for waking him up early, but they needed to get to the village hall so they could watch some of the villagers sign up before they did.

Not many would sign up in the morning, but Ianto had gotten some information out of the bartender. A few boys were going to sign up because of their birthday.

“Owen, wake up,” Ianto called to the other man.

Owen turned over and pulled his blanket tighter over his head.

Ianto rolled his eyes. “I mean if you want to stay here and get blown up in the middle of an air raid, then you’re quite welcome.”

Owen got up quick. “Air raid?!” He paused for a moment. “I fucking hate you.”

Ianto laughed and went to a little sink that was in the room, so he could wash.

The Londoner lay back on the bed for a bit. “So, we’re in the middle of the biggest war in the universe. That’s insane.”

“The first world war is tiny compared to the intergalactic battle of Whytbae and lotaria. Otherwise known as the second-longest war in the universe. These two Galaxies at war for 10,000 years and by the time it ended, the people forgot why it started.” Ianto explained. “The time war is the biggest and the longest. It’s trapped in a time bubble so it’s infinite.”

Owen sighed. “And how do you know that?”

Ianto sat on his bed to pull on some boots. “Jack told me.”

Owen decided he should get up and start to get ready. Ianto had brought some period suitable clothes which he hated a lot. After he’d gotten dressed, he turned and saw Ianto was in full WW1 Captain Uniform. “Where the hell did you get that.” He asked the other man in shock.

The younger man shrugged. “It’s my uniform. I have one like Jack’s for WW2 as well but obviously, I have the British uniform, not the American one.”

Shaking his head and not really believing what he heard, Owen went out of the room and muttered something under his breath.

/';/';/';/';/';/\;'\;'\;'\;'\;'\

Ianto and Owen went downstairs to get some warm breakfast before they went out into the cold. The ground was frosty and the windows of the village were full of condensation.

Owen was moaning all the way down to the Enlisting station. "Why is it even this cold?"

"It's Wales in November. It's going to be cold." Ianto rolled his eyes. 

Neither of them said a word until they got there and they were told to wait outside before they could go into the village hall. The two men only had to wait a few minutes before someone came out. He saw Ianto and immediately saluted. "It's an honour, Captain Jones. I'm lieutenant Crosby sir. "

Ianto smiled slightly. "Thank you, Lieutenant. This is Doctor Owen Harper. I've had him trained so we can go back into the field again." He looked across to Owen who had his eyebrow raised. "How's the training for the new boys going?"

"They should be ready to go to France next week sir." Lieutenant Crosby informed them.

"Excellent," Ianto said. "Doctor Harper and I shall go along with them."

Crosby nodded. "Yes sir." He moved along and the other two went inside.

Owen put his hands in his pocket and Ianto gave him a look. "Don't be like that tea boy. No one's looking."

Ianto rolled his eyes. "As a Doctor in 1916, you should learn better. 

"But what am I supposed to do anyway?" Owen Groaned.

Ianto looked around and moved himself and Owen into a corner. "Listen. I made sure we were in equal ranks so stop complaining."

Owen crossed his arms. "I never said anything about the ranks."

"No, but you were going to," Ianto told him. "I know I shouldn't say anything but I need you to understand." He paused. "You've passed your exams, haven't you. They have a page in one of the books about the War Doctor who disappeared."

"Doctor Harper," Owen stated. "I always wondered if he was a relative."

Ianto quickly thought about how he was going to say this. "Well, there never was a Doctor Haper who led that team in France. There were never any records or birth certificate or anything."

Owen looked out of the frosty window. "The books said that it was like he came from another time..." He sharply stared at Ianto. "Are you telling me that I'm the Doctor who mysteriously disappeared?"

"Yep." Ianto rolled his eyes at the expression on Ianto's face.

Just then, a young boy came through. "Excuse me, sir. Do you know where I can sign up?"

Ianto stepped forward. "Name and age?"

"Dylan Evens Sir. I'm eighteen." The young boy said.

Owen looked at Ianto slightly alarmed. "He's never eighteen." He muttered.

Ianto told him to shut up before he told Dylan where to go. "You do understand that it's dangerous and you could very easily get hurt."

Dylan grinned. "My brother said it would be fun and I can't let my mam down."

Ianto hated doing this. "Fine then. Put your name on the list. Then go to the backroom to start your training."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> If I get any information wrong about WW1 then please let me know.


	4. Being sent out/ Ianto's secret.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This was going to be two chapters but I thought it would flow better as one.   
> Hope you like it.

Owen and Ianto stayed in that village for a week before they moved along. Owen still didn’t like the idea but he realised he didn’t have any choice so he went along with it.

They got shipped out to France along with some nurses, higher-ranking soldiers and boys who had only just signed up. Dylan Evans was amongst that lot and Owen kept a sharp eye on him. After all, he was still only a child and shouldn’t be in the middle of a battlefield.

It was nearly dark by the time they got to the Western front. They were slightly behind the lines of Trenches so they could all get some sleep before they started fighting.

Once again, they were stationed in a pub and the pub was full of soldiers. The higher ranks sat at the back so they had privacy and the privets sat at the bar

Owen and Ianto were just about to find a seat when someone called Ianto’s name.

“Ianto?”

Ianto looked around and saw a very young Jack. His heart sunk.

“Ianto, what are you doing here?” Jack asked. His voice couldn’t mask the hurt in it.

Ianto closed his eyes and counted to three. Owen had found himself a barmaid to entertain himself with so Ianto dragged Jack to a table. “I’m not your Ianto.”

Jack looked confused for a second but he got it. “So you haven’t come back then.”

“I’m sorry Jack. I didn’t even know you’d be here.” Ianto explained. “I was just showing Owen the beauties of being in the front line.”

The immortal looked Ianto in the eye. “How long in the future are you?”

Ianto calculated the years in his mind and wondered whether this information wouldn’t cause a paradox. “Ninety-one years.”

Jack suddenly grinned. “Are you really a captain or did you use psychic paper?”

The younger man smiled. “I had to use Psychic paper for Owen but I’m really a Captain.”

“So then Captain Jones…” Jack was back into his usual flirty mode. “Fancy sharing a room tonight. Unless Owen…”

Ianto snorted. “You don’t need to be Jealous of Owen, Jack. I think he’d prefer his own room so I don’t mind sharing.” He looked at the time. “Maybe a little later though. I think he has questions.”

Jack nodded and stood up. “Alright, I’ll see you later Ianto.”

Ianto went to get Owen so he could drag him to a room. Owen on one of the beds but Ianto kept standing.

“Why was Jack so happy to see you?” Owen asked. “Wait, how did Jack even know who you are?”

Ianto looked across the room at the other man and sighed. “There’s something I should probably tell you.” He said. “I wasn’t born in 1983. It was more like in 1883.”

Owen looked shocked. “So you’re telling me you’re over a hundred years old.” He tried to process it. “No, I’m not getting it.”

“I met Jack in 1906. We were just friends at first. Then we got more involved with each other.” Ianto explained. He peered towards Owen to see if he wanted to say anything but the other man was just listening. “By 1913 we made it official. Or as official as you could in this era and we knew we loved each other, but we never said it. Jack and I joined the war at the beginning, but he had to go soon after. He was called away by Torchwood. A few weeks later, he came back to the trenches and told me all about it. Right after that, the entire lot of us were gassed and I died in his arms.”

Owen sat up straight. “But he did something didn’t he.”

Ianto nodded. “He revived pretty quickly but I don’t think he could handle me being dead so he transferred some of the energy, which makes him immortal, to me. Jack told me he gave me enough to last for about five million years.”

“So you’re not completely immortal,” Owen stated. “But wait… that still doesn’t explain why he was that happy.”

“That’s because, after that, I left,” Ianto explained. “I told Jack that we were over. To be honest, I think it was because of what he’s just told me, and then dying and becoming immortal right after was too much.” He said. “I just left him there. Right in the middle of a sea of dead. I came back to Wales and I didn’t see him again until 1943. I’d thought about it a lot and I wanted to apologise but I saw him with someone else and he looked so happy.”

Owen leant forward. “And then?”

Ianto gave him a look and continued his story. “I left again. I was stupid to think he’d just wait for me. Especially after I told him I wanted nothing to do with him. I still loved him, but I was an idiot. The next time I saw him was in the seventies. He was carrying a baby. Obviously his. We spoke a little bit but then he told me it would be safer for me if we stayed away from each other. I joined Torchwood London in 2000 and then I came here.”

“If you were never over Jack, then what about Lisa?” Owen asked.

“I tricked myself into thinking I was in love with her.” He told the younger man. “And I only really came to Cardiff so I could see Jack. That’s why he was so distant from me. A few weeks in, I locked us in his office and we talked.”

Owen looked out to the horizon. “That’s a hell of a story Tea-boy.”

Ianto nodded. “I know.” He paused. “You can have the room for tonight. I need to spend time with Jack.”

The Doctor nodded and Ianto slipped out of the room. Jacks room was only two doors over and he just went inside. There was only a single bed but they’d manage. The older immortal was already on the bed and Ianto slipped in next to him.

“I missed you,” Jack whispered.

Ianto snuggled him in tighter. “I know.”

“Will I have to retcon myself after you go?” He asked.

The younger immortal shook his head slightly. “I don’t think so.” He paused. “I love you.”

Jack tensed. “You’ve never said that before.”

“Well, I’m saying it now,” Ianto said softly. “But it’s alright if you’re not ready.”

Jack buried his face in Ianto’s chest and neither of them said anymore because they just wanted each other company.


	5. Jacks pain

The next morning, Jack woke up and felt a warm body next to him. He felt his heart flutter when he remembered Ianto was there. Not his Ianto, but any Ianto was better than no Ianto. At least he knew that they would be alright shortly even though a future Jack got a Ianto and he didn’t. Jack decided that Ianto was worth waiting years for and he grinned. He was almost going to go back to sleep when he remembered there was a war going on and he would be back in the trenches in a few hours.

At least he didn’t have to worry about losing his love again.

Ianto woke up and Jack grinned again when he saw the bright blue eyes he would always love. He cupped the younger man’s face in his hand and kissed him softly. He pulled back and saw Ianto’s beautiful smile. He kept his hand on Ianto’s face and rubbed his thumb over his cheek.

“Why are you here?” Jack asked quietly.

Ianto took Jacks hand off his face and held it. “I can’t tell you too much. Owen likes insulting everyone and everything and normally it’s fine because we know he’s just joking around. This time he took it too far though. He said some things about your immortality and how it didn’t really matter that you fought in the war because you’d just spring back up again.” He studied Jacks face and saw the pain. “I lost it and brought him here to teach him a lesson.”

“And is it working?” Jack wondered.

Ianto had to think about it for a moment. “At the beginning, he was reluctant to do anything and now he thinks this is more like a holiday.” He sighed. “He’s had the entire night to think about what I told him before I came to you.”

Neither of them spoke for a few minutes. Jack still felt the pain in his heart from when Ianto left him. He always regretted not telling him about Torchwood and his immortality earlier. If he had, then maybe Ianto wouldn’t’ve freaked out so much.

“When do I get to see you again? After this?” Jack asked.

The younger immortal wrapped his arm protectively around his lover. “You know I can’t tell you that Cariad. Just please don’t be alone when Owen and I have to go back. One thing I’ve never been proud of was leaving you alone in the middle of a battlefield. If I could go back and change what happened so I could be with you, then I would."

Jack closed his eyes and leant in closer. "I forgive you for that Ianto. Did it hurt? Yes, like hell but I should've handled it better. I never wanted to lose you because I care for you a lot but I still lost you anyway."

"I know, I'm so sorry," Ianto whispered. "I never wanted to hurt you and I did."

Jack was about to say something but there was a knock on the door. Luckily, it was only Owen who was there because he was bored. Ianto had to reluctantly get off the bed to get his Captains uniform on. Owen had left but Jack watched him.

"You look hot in uniform." Jack told him.

Ianto grinned." I was under the impression I was hot in everything."

Jack got out of the covers and wrapped his arms around the other man from behind. "Don't I know it. You'd look great in everything. And nothing."

Ianto internally laughed. "You look good in everything." He retorted. "Just wait until you move up the ranks."

Jack smiled. "How did you get to captain before me?" 

"Jelous?" The younger man joked. "I worked hard. You would've got there first if you wern't in America doing Torchwood work. You don't have far to go though. "

The older man turned his lover around and helped him button up his shirt. "I'll be a proper Captain by the end of next month though I might transfer to the RAF soon though. I don't really like it out here."

"Why are you out here then?" Ianto asked.

Jack shrugged. "Because I thought that if I stayed, then I might find you again."

Ianto leant in for a kiss. "I love you." He whispered and he saw Jack smile. "He pulled back, went to the wardrobe and helped Jack with his uniform. Ianto was proud of him. He had lived out of his time for so long and here he was, fighting for a future he had already seen. God he loved this man. He thought back to when they first met.

* * *

_Ianto was sitting on a park bench in bute park when someone came running towards him. He was covered in blood and his face was as white as a sheet. Ianto stood up heistily and rushed towards the man to help him to the bench._

_"Sir, are you alright?" Ianto asked heistily. There was no one else around so he couldn't call for help._

_The man coughed and looked Ianto in the eye. Oh God, this strangers eyes were so blue._

_"Is there anything I can do?"_

_The man shook his head and fell limp a few seconds later. Ianto tried to check his paulse but there was nothing but something deep inside of him told him to stay, rather then get help. The stranger then took a deep breath much to Ianto's surprise._

_"Are you perfectly sure you're alright sir?" Ianto tried again._

_The stranger didn't answer. "I'm Jack. Captain Jack Harkness."_

_"Jones." Ianto replied naturally. "Ianto Jones." He paused uncertainly. "I'm going to be honest that I don't think you should be walking around like this. I'll take you back to mine and I'll lend you a shirt while I wash yours." Ianto had no idea where that offered had come form._

_Jack looked supprised. "I mean if you don't mind. It wouldn't be the first time that someone caught be like this and reported it to the police."_

_"Dangerous Job?"_

_Jack leant back against the bench. "Something like that."_

_Satisfied with that answer, Ianto helped Jack into the car he had borrowed from his uncle that day. He took him to an upstairs flat he rented and told the other man to warm up against the fire. He sorted out some clothes for Jack and put the kettle on while he washed the other mans clothes. Jack also washed himself up in the bathroom while Ianto prepared a light supper for them both..._

* * *

Ianto had remembered that night well. It had led to a strong friends ship. He was unknowingly in love with Jack for years and it wasn't until he had the earge to kiss him did he realised what those feelings were. Their first kiss had been underneath a cherry tree just before Jack had been called away for work.

His thoughts got interrupted when Owen burst into the room again, all ready in his spare uniform. 

This was it then. Time Owen learnt something.


	6. Owen learns his lesson

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I found pictures.  
> Just worked out how to put photos onto this from online.

Jack and Ianto had been in the trenches for a month and Owen was on his feet at all times trying to save as many people as possible. He hadn’t lost a person yet even though he was using the most basic, minimal equipment he had ever used.

Ianto was used to being on the front line beside Jack. As much as both he and Jack hated doing this, they found that more people would live if they did. Neither of then shot to kill either, just to wound. 

It wasn’t fun for any of them. The knowledge that you could die any second surrounded them all. All those people with diseases or shot wounds, probably never going to get better. That promise of all going to be over by Christmas, now forgotten as every one of the fears that they might never see their family again.

Owen saw the desperation in everyone he treated. He was a good doctor and he knew it, but he worried that he might not save someone. All these people were fighting for the future, just as he was but in a different context. He knew what he had signed up for when he joined Torchwood but half of these men didn’t know what was at stake. He’d read books and watched documentaries about this time period. He had to otherwise he would never have passed his exams but being here in the flesh was horrible. More horrible than any alien invasion though not quite so horrible as the cannibals were.

This is what Ianto was telling him all along. All of these people were heroes and they died just because someone assassinated a poor bloke.

Some people came in, screaming about immediate surgery. It was a child. The same boy who had joined up in that Welsh village. Dylan. Dylan Evens. He only looked about sixteen but he was bleeding everywhere. A gunshot wound to the shoulder and another one straight through the liver.

Owen went straight to work and did everything he could. For the thousandth time he had been here, he swore. “Where the fuck is penicillin when you need it.” He muttered.

There was nothing to stop the pain. The last of that had gone.

There wasn’t anything to clean the wounds up.

There was no way he would be able to save him.

Dylan Evens died and Owen ran out.

Jack and Ianto had just gotten back to the pub when they saw Owen throw a glass bottle at a wall.

“Owen, are you alright?” Ianto asked. He wondered if the message had finally sunk in.

“Do I bloody look alright Tea-boy?!” Owen yelled. “You’ve played your game. You got what you wanted now take me back.”

Ianto nodded and looked at Jack. “This is where we say goodbye then.” He said to him while Owen was calming himself down.

Jack was disappointed. “Look after yourself then but this isn’t goodbye Ianto Jones.” He hugged his lover and then indicated to Owen. “You should get him back.”

The younger immortal kissed him swiftly and dragged Owen to an ally without looking back. He held onto the doctor tightly and teleported them to Owen’s flat. “This is it then. An hour since we left. Have some time to calm down, I’ll be back in the hub.

…………………………………………

Ianto was sat on the kitchen counter, waiting for the microwave to finish heating some pasta when Owen came in.

He had his hands deep into his pockets and his face was looking at the floor constantly. “Look Ianto, I’m sorry I said all those things. I thought about everything that you showed me and I just wanted to say thank you for getting the message through to me.”

Ianto got down from the counter and stood in front of him. “I accept your apology Owen and you’re welcome.” Ianto studied the younger man’s face. “I know you were close to Dylan…”

Owen put his hand up to quieten Ianto. “I looked him up last night. He wasn’t actually from that village-like he told us and he wasn’t sixteen either. He was thirteen and from London but he wanted to get out and explore the world.” He was starting to get angry now. “Where were you whilst he was dying in my arms? You were with Jack like you always are.”

The immortal sighed. “Owen listen. I didn’t anticipate you’d get that close to anyone in that short amount of time.”

“I don’t know how you and Jack do it.” Owen never really liked crying in front of people but Ianto had seen in happen before.

Ianto stepped forward and hugged the other man and Owen didn’t protest. “I don’t like to think about it, to be honest. Jack and I have each other for eternity but all of our family die around us. I think of you as my brother and Tosh and Gwen as my sisters. Even if you live for another eighty years or so, it’s a tiny amount to a couple of thousand years.”

Owen pulled back and opened his mouth to speak but Jack walked in.

“How was your trip?” Jack leant against the door frame and he crossed his arms.

Ianto shrugged his shoulders and got the pasta out of the microwave. “You know exactly how it was.”

Jack went up to his lover and kissed him swiftly on the lips before he snatched a bit of pasta. “To be fair, it was ninety-one years ago Yan and it was in the middle of the war.”

“Excuses.” The younger immortal muttered. He took the vortex manipulator off and threw it over to Jack. “Reliable as ever.”

Owen looked at Jack. “I’m never going to say anything like what I said again. I’ve seen it now and I’m sorry.”

Jack stared at him and then to Ianto and then back to Owen. “Owen apologising. I never thought I’d see the day.”

Owen smiled a little. “Yeah, well don’t get used to it.”

“Now I was thinking.” Jack started. “Boys night out. A few drinks?”

Ianto rolled his eyes. “I need to sleep first, but maybe tomorrow.”

Owen nodded and Jack grinned.

If Owen had learnt anything out of this, then it’s not to piss Ianto off.


End file.
